In Trouble
by fullhousefanatic56
Summary: Marta thinks she will get in trouble, read on to find out. This is my first story, so please be nice and review


"Hey, Friedrich, check out my new slingshot!" Kurt panted, running up to his older brother. I sat nearby with my dolls with Gretl. It was a bright and sunny day, perfect for playing outside.

Fraulien Maria had gone into town to get new dresses with Liesl, Brigitta, and Louisa, leaving me at home with my brothers and Gretl, who was sort of being a pain by sniffing loudly whenever she had the chance. She was doing this partly to annoy me and partly because she has a cold that she had recently caught from Louisa. I was trying not to catch it. I heard Kurt shout, "I bet you can't shoot that apple off the tree over there!"

Kurt had gotten the slingshot from Uncle Max yesterday evening, when he had come back from auditioning new singing groups in Graz. He had earned a glare from Father from allowing a young boy to have a potentially dangerous object in the household.

The slingshot was peaking my interest, so I dropped my doll on the grass and got up, brushing grass from my dress as I ran over to join the boys. Kurt was aiming the slingshot at a nearby apple tree, a small rock held in the rubber band.

A small pile of rocks sat by his feet. He let go. The rock flew high and knocked a red apple clean off the tree. I asked, "Kurt, can I try?" My brother turned and said, "Sure, I guess"

Friedrich picked up a rock and said, "How about you aim through that window" He pointed up towards a second-story window, which was open to let the breeze in. It was most likely Frau Schmidt's doing, since she does it every day.

He helped me aim and taught me the basics. He then stepped back and said, "Now, let go" I squinted my eyes and drew the rubber band back. I then let go. The rock flew in an arc, right through the window.

Kurt patted me on the back and said, "Nice aim, kid" I beamed. Friedrich said, taking his shoulder, "Did you hear the sound it made when the rock hit her wardrobe?" Kurt nodded.

Kurt turned to me and said, "Now, you have to go get it" I sighed and asked him., "Which room is it?" Friedrich replied, "I think it was Fraulien Maria's room. Boy will she be mad if we break anything"

I chewed on my lower lip and said, "What will she do?" Kurt replied, "Oh, nothing much, but I bet she's gonna do what Fraulien Anna did to me when I broke the window"

He continued, wincing at the memory, "She pulled my pants down and smacked me across my bottom. I had a red mark for weeks" I chewed my lip even more as I whimpered, "But I'm a girl"

Friedrich laughed and said, "Then, I think she will smack a ruler across the wrists. Hey Kurt, isn't that what your teacher did last year?" Kurt nodded, rubbing his wrists at the painful memory.

I hurried away from them and around the outer edge of the terrace. My mind raced with terrifying thoughts as I ran into the house, across the foyer and up the stairs. I slowed down to catch my breath as I began walking down the servant's quarters.

I soon peeked around the doorframe leading into the bedroom of Fraulien Maria. The room was empty, but sunshine filled the room from the three windows. My stomach twisted into a knot as I stepped into the silent room.

I crossed the room to the small table with a vase sitting on top. The rock had landed beside the guitar case. Don't ask me, I'm only seven, but I could not figure out how it could have landed in that position.

I grabbed the rock and scooted backwards as I heard Friedrich shout, "Lemme try with my new ball" He had gotten a bouncy ball from Uncle Max. It was small, rubber and can bounce very high.

I scrambled under the table and drew my knees up to my chest to avoid being hit. As I did this, my foot hit the side of the table leg. I knew that the table was really wobbly and one touch could make it fall over or send the objects sitting on it tumbling.

True to my fear, the table wobbled first towards the guitar case, then towards the door and finally towards the floor. The legs flew from the table, the drawer slid out and the vase with the flowers smashed to the ground.

I held my breath as I opened my eyes to survey the damage. Letting it out, I listened carefully for any sounds that might indicate that somebody had heard and was coming to investigate.

I knew Uncle Max was sitting on the terrace with a strudel keeping an eye on me, Gretl and the boys were with him and Father was most definitely out playing cards, something he hasn't done since Mother died.

Feeling panicky, I pushed the pieces of the vase under the bed with the drawer and the legs and the table, trying to hide anything out of the ordinary.

**Meanwhile**

One of the doors to the villa opened and Fraulien Maria walked in, followed by my three sisters, who all held shopping bags and were giggling about something. Our governess sighed and said, "I'm going to take a nap because I am exhausted"

Brigitta giggled, "You're gonna sleep in the middle of the day?" Fraulein Maria smiled and said, "I guess I'll see what's going on in the terrace and then I'll take my much needed nap"

Liesl proclaimed, "What I need is a toilet. I've been holding it all day!" Louisa said, "What, you don't like public bathrooms?" Liesl shook her head and said, "Nope, I just don't like taking a break from shopping"

Fraulein Maria giggled, "So that wasn't restless squirming when we sat beside the fountain? I would have never guessed" Liesl nodded, blushing and then heading in the direction of the bathroom.

A little while later, Brigitta, Louisa and Fraulien Maria stepped onto the grass in front of the terrace. Gretl ran over and wrapped her arms around our governess as Kurt immediately hid the slingshot behind his back.

Fraulien Maria walked over to the boys and said, "Did you two keep an eye on Gretl and- where's Marta?" She glanced around as she noticed I was missing. Friedrich leaned towards his younger brother and whispered, "You're the one who scared her!"

Kurt waved him away with his free hand as he muttered, "Oh, don't get your lederhosen in a bunch. We were only tryin' to tease her" He was only hoping their governess hadn't heard him.

Upstairs, I was glancing around frantically for a place to hide. Nowhere in the bedroom seemed practical, but I had to think fast.

Back downstairs, Gretl tugged at Fraulien Maria's dress and said, "I saw Marta using Kurt's slingshot" Kurt shot back, "tattletale!" as the young governess walked over to the two boys.

Fraulien Maria set her hands on her hips and asked, watching the two boys shrink under her gaze, "Do you two know where Marta is?" Kurt shook his head, still clutching the slingshot behind his back.

Friedrich said, suddenly thinking up a suitable lie, "Kurt shot her doll through an upstairs window and now she's gone to find it" Well, it was sort of true, but he thought it was a pretty good lie.

Fraulien Maria thought for a moment and said, "Very well, I'm going to go take my nap. Can you and Louisa keep an eye on the others?" Friedrich nodded as she headed towards the double doors which opened onto the terrace.

Meanwhile, I had opened one of the doors to Fraulien Maria's wardrobe and climbed in, shutting the door as I did so. It was dark and cramped, but I couldn't think of anywhere else to hide.

I finally sat down among the various dresses and stared at the opposite wall, my arms wrapped around my knees and tears slowly sliding down my face.

The door to the bedroom opened and I instinctively made myself smaller as I stared through the crack in between the doors. It was Fraulien Maria, back from her shopping trip, most likely getting ready to take a midafternoon nap.

I chewed on my lower lip and clutched my stomach, fearful. I just knew that if Fraulien Maria found me she would take a ruler and smack me across the wrists, just like Friedrich said she would.


End file.
